Our go-to Master of the Dark Arts when it comes to Halloween? That would be Claudia Schwartz—proprietor of San Francisco’s dearly departed Bell’occhio—a sought-after SF stylist and shop owner who counts Martha Stewart among her fans. Claudia is a lover of the offbeat, and her last-century style (the way she spells Hallowe’en, for instance) has us inspired. Read on for her advice on creating a spooky yet soulful Halloween party; mastermix included.
Photography by Tom Kubik for Remodelista.
Remodelista: Do you have any cardinal rules for a good theme party?
Claudia Schwartz: Create an atmosphere in which all the carefully edited elements support one another, from food and decor to music and scent. But exercise restraint; using every good idea that comes along can result in a mess.
RM: What are some Halloween decor ideas our readers can re-create at home?
CS: Start with a black table covering—whether it’s blackboard oilcloth or black linen—it makes a nice backdrop. For arrangements, I like oak leaves and acorns; if they are not available, seasonal leaves and herbs from a farmer’s market are nice. You could also do an all-orange theme, contrasted with dark chocolate cosmos, shiny black berries, small black calla lilies, and other very dark flora. The tableware can become the decor, too: serve soup in hollowed-out pumpkins, for example, as they do in Provence.
RM: How do you like to display name cards?
CS: Designating places with place cards makes seating less awkward for guests. I used lyre-shaped holders for a recent party, but you can improvise using twigs, moss clumplets, and other natural materials.
RM: What tools and materials do you keep at the ready for making DIY party decor?
CS: A variety of scissors: fringing scissors (which can be used to mince herbs, too), pinking shears, and small sharp scissors—one pair for paper and one pair for fabric. And I always keep on hand Aleene’s Tacky Glue, little sticks for applying the glue, carpet tape, glue dots, and a circle cutter.
RM: What are good Halloween decorations for someone who doesn’t want to spend a lot?
CS: Mother Nature’s materials cost nothing. Plus, twigs, flowers, and moss can be composted after the party.
RM: How do you approach music for a party?
CS: Music is essential for evoking atmosphere at a party—if it doesn’t interfere with conversation, and if it’s seamless and you’re not jumping up and down to change the record. At a Japanese-themed birthday dinner for my husband, I found obscure recordings of Japanese court music, samisen, Buddhist chants—and a friend brought a Japanese nature CD that included the sounds of cracking ice at a shrine. At store parties, we’ve had music as diverse at Dennis James playing the glass harmonica and a trio of musicians playing alpenhorns and small alpine accordions.
RM: What would you suggest for a Halloween party playlist?
CS: I’m always in search of unusual music for the shop and for parties. The first thing that comes to mind for Halloween is the sound of the theremin, an instrument that produces wavering, eerie, otherworldy sound. That would be perfect. I’d find recordings or a theremin musician. I’d also look for unexpected music such as the following:
- “Mr. Ghost Goes to Town” by the 5 Jones Boys, which we play every Halloween.
- I’m fond of classical music, so I’d include pipe organ music often featured in horror movies—Bach’s “Toccata and Fugue for Organ”—a là Boris Karloff.
- Because a little of this goes a long way, I’d interject some humor via Spike Jones: “You Always Hurt the One You Love” and “My Old Flame,” a parody of horror film actor Peter Lorre.
- Nature recordings in forests are great—maybe a touch of beating batwings or sounds of thunder and rain.
RM: What would you serve for a Halloween dinner party dessert?
CS: I’m crazy about soufflés—I’d probably make pumpkin soufflés in individual ramekins, or maybe oeufs a la neige (snow egg meringues). The meringues are ghostlike, light and ethereal, served in little pumpkins or classic black espresso cups. With all that candy around, a heavy dessert isn’t so appealing.
RM: Last question: What is your favorite holiday?
CS: Christmas.
More favorite Halloween ideas:
- A Moody DIY Halloween Tablescape from David Stark Design
- DIY: Black Beeswax Tapers for the Autumn Table
- Fade to Black: 13 Subtle, Stylish Ways to Get in the Spirit of All Hallows’ Eve
N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on October 22, 2014.
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